Film 1010: Film Aesthetics and Analysis (Summer 2012, CRN: 52569)

Class: TTh 10:55am-1:25pm, GCB 320 Instructor: Email: Website: Mailbox: Dr. Drew Ayers dayers2@gsu.edu www.drewayers.com 6th Floor, One Park Place Office: 202 One Park Place Office Hours: By appointment

N.B. 1) uLearn will reflect updates to the course, changes in the syllabus, assignments, etc. Be sure to check it regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. 2) Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the online course evaluation. Course Description This course will examine the aesthetics (both visual and aural) of film and their relation to film narrative and genre. This course will also explore the ways in which film aesthetics help to convey meanings, tell stories, and perpetuate ideologies. Special attention will be paid to critical writing about film, and this course will develop the critical thinking and writing skills needed for academic film criticism. Students will be introduced to the specialized concepts and vocabulary required for scholarly film criticism. This course is a prerequisite to the upper-level film courses. Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: Define terms/concepts fundamental to film studies Employ these terms/concepts in academic writing, class discussion, and class presentations Write analytical/critical essays that show understanding of, engagement with, and thoughtful use of film studies vocabulary Conduct research specific to film studies The critical, argumentative, and written skills gained in this course are those required for upperlevel film studies courses as well as for other critical engagements with the world. Required Texts 1) Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White. The Film Experience: An Introduction. 3nd Ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. (Available at the GSU bookstores) 2) Readings on Electronic Reserve (http://reserves.gsu.edu; password: a2p9f7E) 3) Course films (Available in the library and for rental from Amazon.com) Screenings Throughout the semester, you will be required to view the six films listed on the syllabus. Since we do not have a reserved screening time for the class, you will need to watch these films on your own. The films are available through the library media center reserves (1st Floor, Library North) or for online rental from Amazon.com. The films are a fundamental part of the course and

2 will comprise a large part of our discussions. Viewing these films is mandatory, and even if you have already seen the films, you should plan to view them again before the class in which we are discussing them. Attendance and Participation Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the principles discussed in the readings and lectures you cant participate if youre not there. Attendance will be taken during the first fifteen minutes of each class by using a sign-in sheet. If you arrive to class after the first fifteen minutes, you will be counted as tardy. Each tardy counts as one-half of an absence. Each student will have two personal days during the semester to cover absences from class. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time out for illness, emergencies, religious holidays, travel, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial two, your overall attendance grade will be lowered by 10%. If you have an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester. Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is essential that you have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill your responsibilities as a member of the learning community of this class. Further, you are expected to participate actively in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the final grade, and your participation grade will be based on both the frequency and quality of your participation. Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions. Late Assignment Policy If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. If you are unable to attend class on a day that an assignment is due, you must contact me prior to the class and make alternative arrangements. Assignments must be uploaded to uLearn by class time on the day they are due (10:55am). Assignments uploaded after 10:55am will automatically be marked as late. When assignments are due, expect the unexpected. Assume that one (or perhaps all) of the following will happen to you on exam dates and assignment due dates: Your internet connection suddenly stops working uLearn crashes or experiences some other kind of technical difficulty Your disk crashes and all your data is lost Your car will not run, busses will skip your stop, and all or your friends will be out of town Please take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these events from affecting the timely submission of assignments and exams. Additional Sources of Academic Support The University offers a range of support services for students. Among the resources available are: The Writing Studio (http://www.writingstudio.gsu.edu/) Provides advice and tutoring in composition

3 Student Support Services (http://www.gsu.edu/oeo/sss.html) Offers a variety of services, including tutoring, career counseling, and support groups

Policy for Make-Up Exams Unless we have discussed rescheduling an exam before the exam date, exams may only be madeup in instances of extreme hardship. I will require documentation verifying the hardship, and the option to complete a make-up exam is at my discretion. Special Accommodations Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Office of Disability Services (http://www.gsu.edu/disability/). Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought. Assignments There are five primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as the due dates approach. 1) Quizzes and Reading/Film Responses: Students will complete ten short quizzes/responses over the course of the semester as indicated in the daily schedule. These quizzes/responses are located on uLearn under the Assessments tab. Student should complete and submit the quizzes/responses on uLearn, and I will grade, comment on, and return them via uLearn. Quizzes/Responses must be completed by the beginning of the class for which they are due (10:55am), and each quiz/response is worth 2% of your overall grade. Quizzes/Responses cover the material assigned for the day, and they may be completed using the course text, films, or any other helpful material (in other words, they are open-book). Together, the quizzes/responses are worth 20% of your overall grade. 2) Short Essays: There are four short writing assignments spaced throughout the semester. Essays #1 and #2 are each worth 5% of your overall grade, and Essays #3 and #4 are each worth 10%. The essays together comprise 30% of your overall grade. See page 8 of this syllabus for more detailed information. 3) Film Clip Presentation: During the semester, each student (in a group) will be responsible for presenting a clip to the class. The presentations should focus on the particular aspects of cinema we are studying (editing, cinematography, etc.), and your presentation should be 10-15 minutes in length. Your presentation should: a) Focus on a brief clip from a film of your choice clips should be no more than two or three minutes; b) Provide an analysis of the clip focusing on the topic of the class discussion (editing, etc.); c) Draw conclusions as to how your clip is representative of the larger issues we are discussing; and d) Provide further questions for class discussion. I expect a polished, rehearsed presentation with a clear argument or thesis about your clip. Your group should meet with me at least a week prior to your presentation to discuss what you are going to present. The presentation is worth 10% of your overall grade. 4) Final Paper Proposal: Each student must submit a proposal for his/her final paper. The proposal is due on July 12, and it is worth 5% of your overall grade. See page 9 of this syllabus for more information and a template of the proposal.

4 5) Final Paper: The final paper must be 1500-2000 words in length, and should function as a critical analysis of a film or selection of films. The paper should make use of all of our discussions about film criticism filmic elements, essay construction, analysis, etc. and it is meant to showcase all you have learned this semester. The final paper is due on uLearn at the beginning of our final exam period (July 26 at 10:45am), and it is worth 25% of your overall grade. See page 10 of this syllabus for more details. All materials must be submitted to uLearn by the beginning of the class for which they are due (10:55am), and papers should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first page should include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. You must include a word count at the end of each essay. Use MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Grading Quizzes and Reading/Film Responses (2% each): Short Essays #1 and #2 (5% each): Short Essays #3 and #4 (10% each): Film Clip Presentation: Final Paper Proposal: Final Paper: Attendance/Participation: 20% 10% 20% 10% 5% 25% 10%

Grading Breakdown A+ (100-97); A (96-94); A- (93-90); B+ (89-87); B (86-84); B- (83-80); C+ (79-77); C (76-74); C- (73-70); D+ (69-67); D (66-64); D- (63-60); F (59-0)

Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: I take this matter very seriously and will report any suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Office of Judicial Affairs. For details on the Universitys policy on Academic Honesty, please consult the Offices website at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/judicial.html or the Policy on Academic Honesty in the Faculty Handbook (section 409) at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfhb/fhb.html. The policy prohibits plagiarism, cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification, and multiple submissions. The process by which the university handles academic misconduct cases is also very specifically spelled out in the policy. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class as well as disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track down plagiarism If you can google it, I can google it. Bottom line: Dont plagiarize its not worth it. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.

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GSU Policy on Academic Honesty REPRINTED FROM THE FACULTY HANDBOOK | July 2010 Introduction As members of the academic community, students are expected to recognize and uphold standards of intellectual and academic integrity. The university assumes as a basic and minimum standard of conduct in academic matters that students be honest and that they submit for credit only the products of their own efforts. Both the ideals of scholarship and the need for fairness require that all dishonest work be rejected as a basis for academic credit. They also require that students refrain from any and all forms of dishonorable or unethical conduct related to their academic work. The university's policy on academic honesty is published in the Faculty Affairs Handbook and the On Campus: The Undergraduate CoCurricular Affairs Handbook and is available to all members of the university community. The policy represents a core value of the university and all members of the university community are responsible for abiding by its tenets. Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any charge of academic dishonesty. All members of the academic community -- students, faculty, and staff -- are expected to report violations of these standards of academic conduct to the appropriate authorities. The procedures for such reporting are on file in the offices of the deans of each college, the office of the dean of students, and the office of the provost. In an effort to foster an environment of academic integrity and to prevent academic dishonesty, students are expected to discuss with faculty the expectations regarding course assignments and standards of conduct. Students are encouraged to discuss freely with faculty, academic advisors, and other members of the university community any questions pertaining to the provisions of this policy. In addition, students are encouraged to avail themselves of programs in establishing personal standards and ethics offered through the university's Counseling Center. Definitions and Examples The examples and definitions given below are intended to clarify the standards by which academic honesty and academically honorable conduct are to be judged. The list is merely illustrative of the kinds of infractions that may occur, and it is not intended to be exhaustive. Moreover, the definitions and examples suggest conditions under which unacceptable behavior of the indicated types normally occurs; however, there may be unusual cases that fall outside these conditions which also will be judged unacceptable by the academic community. A. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is presenting another person's work as one's own. Plagiarism includes any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student's work as one's own. Plagiarism frequently involves a failure to acknowledge in the text, notes, or footnotes the quotation of the paragraphs, sentences, or even a few phrases written or spoken by someone else. The submission of research or completed papers or projects by someone else is plagiarism, as is the unacknowledged use of research sources gathered by someone else when that use is specifically forbidden by the faculty member. Failure to indicate the extent and nature of one's reliance on other sources is also a form of plagiarism. Any work, in whole or in part, taken from the Internet or other computer-based resource without properly referencing the source (for example, the URL) is considered plagiarism. A complete reference is required in order that all parties may locate and view the original source. Finally, there may be forms of plagiarism that are unique to an individual discipline or course, examples of which should be provided in advance by the faculty member. The student is responsible for understanding the legitimate use of sources, the appropriate ways of acknowledging academic, scholarly or creative indebtedness, and the consequences of violating this responsibility. B. Cheating on Examinations: Cheating on examinations involves giving or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an examination. Examples of unauthorized help include the use of notes, computer based resources, texts, or "crib sheets" during an examination (unless specifically approved by the faculty member), or sharing information with another student during an examination (unless specifically approved by the faculty member). Other examples include intentionally allowing another student to view one's own examination and collaboration before or after an examination if such collaboration is specifically forbidden by the faculty member. C. Unauthorized Collaboration: Submission for academic credit of a work product, or a part thereof, represented as its being one's own effort, which has been developed in substantial collaboration with another person or source, or computer-based resource, is a violation of academic honesty. It is also a violation of academic honesty knowingly to provide such assistance. Collaborative work specifically authorized by a faculty member is allowed. D. Falsification: It is a violation of academic honesty to misrepresent material or fabricate information in an academic exercise, assignment or proceeding (e.g., false or misleading citation of sources, the falsification of the results of experiments or of computer data, false or misleading information in an academic context in order to gain an unfair advantage). E. Multiple Submissions: It is a violation of academic honesty to submit substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without the explicit consent of the faculty member(s) to whom the material is submitted for additional credit. In cases in which there is a natural development of research or knowledge in a sequence of courses, use of prior work may be desirable, even required; however the student is responsible for indicating in writing, as a part of such use, that the current work submitted for credit is cumulative in nature.

Daily Schedule
6/5 Topic: Reading: Why Study Film? pp. 5-17 (C&W) Smith, Its Just a Movie (Electronic Reserve) Course Syllabus (uLearn)

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Topic: Mise-en-Scne Reading: pp. 63-93 (C&W) Assignment: Quiz/Response #1 Topic: Reading: Writing About Film; Film Reviews vs. Analytical Essays pp. 435-451 (C&W) Two film reviews of your choice. Bring to class and be ready to discuss (www.rottentomatoes.com or www.metacritic.com) Screening: Citizen Kane (Welles, 1941) Assignment: Quiz/Response #2 Topic: Researching Film; Library Resources; Discussion of Citizen Kane Reading pp. 452-467 (C&W) Assignment: Short Essay #1 Due Topic: Cinematography Reading: pp. 95-131 (C&W) Assignment: Quiz/Response #3 Topic: Discussion of Paranormal Activity; Presentations Screening: Paranormal Activity (Peli, 2007) Assignment: Short Essay #2 Due Film Presentations from Group I Quiz/Response #4 Topic: Editing Reading: pp. 133-175 (C&W) Assignment: Quiz/Response #5 Topic: Reading: Screening: Assignment: Discussion of Quantum of Solace; Classical Film Theories pp. 399-413 (C&W) Quantum of Solace (Forster, 2008) Short Essay #3 Due Quiz/Response #6

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Topic: Sound Reading: pp. 177-211 (C&W) Assignment: Quiz/Repsonse #7

7 7/5 Topic: Discussion of The Artist; Presentations Screening: The Artist (Hazanavicius, 2011) Assignment: Short Essay #4 Due Film Presentations from Group II Topic: Narrative Reading: pp. 215-253 (C&W) Assignment: Quiz/Response #8 Topic: Reading: Discussion of Eternal Sunshine; Contemporary Film Theories pp. 413-433 (C&W) Elsaesser, The Mind-Game Film (Electronic Reserve) Screening: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004) Assignment: Final Paper Proposals Due Quiz/Response #9 Topic: Reading: Screening: Assignment: Genre; Discussion of Shaun of the Dead pp. 315-351 (C&W) Shaun of the Dead (Wright, 2004) Quiz/Response #10

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Topic: Presentations; Course Wrap-Up Assignment: Film Presentations from Group III Be prepared to give a brief synopsis of your project to the class Assignment: Final Paper Due by 10:45am (the beginning of our exam time)

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8 Short Essay Assignments Short Essay #1 Write a 350 word paper analyzing the mise-en-scne of one scene or shot from Citizen Kane. Pay particular attention to the ways in which the mise-en-scene helps to create meanings and tell the films story. Remember, you should focus on the visual aspects of the film (what you see) rather than on a summary or explanation of the story/plot of the film. As such, your essay should include a close reading of the visual construction of the film. I expect a detailed analysis of the particulars of the mise-en-scene in the scene or shot Use the terms that weve discussed in class to make your analysis more precise. The first sentence or two of this short essay should consist of a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of what points you are going to make in the essay. It might be helpful to use the first paragraph to provide a description of the scene/shot and the second paragraph to analyze how the mise-en-scene creates meanings. Include a word count at the end of your essay. Short Essay #2 Write a 350 word paper analyzing the cinematography of one scene or shot from Paranormal Activity. Remember, you should focus on how the cinematography helps to tell the story rather than simply providing a summary or interpretation of the film. Also remember to utilize the cinematographic terms weve learned in class. The first sentence or two of this short essay should consist of a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of what points you are going to make in the essay. Include a word count at the end of your essay. Short Essay #3 After watching Quantum of Solace, write a 500 word paper in which you analyze the editing of the film, using the editing terms weve learned in class. This essay should have a short introduction that includes a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of your argument. Also pay careful attention to the structure of your essay, making sure that your argument proceeds in a clear and logical order that is easy for the reader to follow. This assignment is building towards the type of argument youll be expected to make in the final paper, and as such, pay close attention to the way in which you present and defend your argument. Include a word count at the end of your essay. Short Essay #4 Write a 500 word paper in which you analyze the use of sound in The Artist, utilizing the sound terms weve discussed in class. This essay should have a short introduction that includes a clear thesis statement and a concise summary of your argument. Also pay careful attention to the structure of your essay, making sure that your argument proceeds in a clear and logical order that is easy for the reader to follow. Include a word count at the end of your essay.

9 Final Paper Proposal Information and Template 1) Your final paper proposal should include the following information: a. The title of your final paper b. A thesis statement/research question and summary of your argument. Be specific here. Let me know exactly what argument youre going make, the main points of the argument, and how youre going to support the argument. c. An outline of your final paper 2) Remember, the more thorough and detailed you are, the better feedback I can provide. 3) This assignment must be uploaded to uLearn by the beginning of class (10:55am) on July 12. The assignment is worth 5% of your final grade. 4) Here is a template for the proposal: a. Title of Final Paper b. Thesis and Summary of Main Argument c. Outline of the Complete Paper

10 Final Paper Assignment 1) For this paper, you will develop an argument that engages with a topic and film(s) of your choosing. I will leave the exact topic up to you, but your paper should demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts weve discussed in class mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound, narrative, and genre and the paper should apply the concepts to a specific film or films. (You dont need to write about all of the concepts listed above; you are free to write about whatever concepts you choose.) 2) This paper should expand on the work you did in your proposal, and you should expect to do significant rethinking/revising of your initial argument, incorporating any suggestions I might have provided you. Failure to take my revision suggestions into account will negatively affect your grade on this paper. 3) Your paper must be 1500-2000 words in length, and you should include a title page and bibliography (if necessary). The title page should include your name, my name, the course name, the date of submission, and a title for your paper. 4) If you use information from any outside sources (including Wikipedia and the course texts), be sure to cite these, using MLA format. Remember, any time you use another authors work (either paraphrased or directly quoted), you must cite that author. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and possible academic sanctions. See the librarys research page for more information: http://research.library.gsu.edu/film. 5) The essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. 6) This essay is meant to showcase all you have learned about film aesthetics and analysis this semester (mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound, narrative, and ideology). As such, you should submit a polished essay with a clear thesis and argument. Impress me J 7) The paper is due at the beginning of our final exam period July 26 and it must be uploaded to uLearn by 10:45am. Late papers will be deducted one letter grade for each day they are late. The final paper is worth 25% of your overall grade.